Women's Health Issue

It is that time of year again, when I get my yearly mammogram.  While reviewing and reading blogs this week I came across the link I have included here.  I have dense breast tissue so this is important to me and I gives me more questions to ask my doctor.  I do not know the density of my breasts, but plan to ask my doctor on my next visit.  I strongly suggest that you look into finding out where you fall on the density scale.  I am passing this video on because it touched a nerve with me and I hope that it touches one with you.  All women need to be on the lookout for changes in their breasts and to have their yearly mammograms.  Please take the time to watch this video and remember to call and schedule your yearly mammogram.

Letting Go....

After reading Emilie Richards' blog "Out With The Old, In With The. . . Maybe Not" posted on February 4th I decided it was time to do some purging of things myself.  Now books will be a hard one for me as I see my books as friends and many I have read more than one time, others are just hard to part with.  I am currently purging my teaching materials and finding some hard to part with even though I am retiring at the end of the year.  Some are ones I have really enjoyed using, or were ones that I got in conjunction with a class I took and I feel are useful.  The other thought in the back of my mind is "What if I decide to return to teaching at some point?"  I might want some of these materials. Other books are very out of date and though I am offering them to friends they may well just need to head to the recycling bin, which is a tough call as they have been useful to me in the past.  I am finding it easier to go through my files and delete copies of old assignments or articles I saved to use in class than to sort through my books.  I know I am probably saving more than I really should, but it is hard to cull the books.
I am making a possibility pile that I will go through again in a few days to see if at that time I still feel the need to keep a particular book, but most are heading off to new homes and a few are finding their way from school back to my house for possible future use.  In a year I will go through them again and see if I plan to return to teaching or if I am really ready to let go of all the books that tie me to the last 26 years of my life. It is hard to clear away and let go of things that have been useful and that I have become attached to.  
I have spent half my life in a classroom as a teacher and many of the materials I have used for several years, so have been sitting in a box the last few years because instead of teacher English which I love, I have taught history, which I enjoy.  If I return to teaching I think I would like to teach English again rather than history as I enjoy writing.
I have no problem purging anything related to special education as I am done with the meetings, and paperwork.  That is a part of my life I hope to never experience again.  It is funny what thoughts come to mind as I sort through materials and the memories that are attached to some of them. 
One book in particular stands out from those I sorted through yesterday; it was one that had different ideas for using literature in the classroom. One of the ideas was to put Hansel and Gretel on trial and I remember doing that with a special group of students when we lived on Adak. I can picture some of them in their roles as attorneys, a judge, the jury and witnesses, as well as the main characters from the story. That book is one that was hard to let go of, but I passed it on to a friend who I hope will enjoy using the ideas in it as much as I did.
I have several more boxes of books to sort through in the coming weeks and I know I will find more memories and say goodbye to more friends. I hope that those who I pass the books on to will enjoy using them with their students and that many memories are made in student's minds as in the teachers. I know there are some students out there that remember putting Hansel and Gretel on trial and enjoyed that experience as much as I did.
Next are the books on my shelves at home, and some of the many things I have collected over the years that I really do not need.  I hope my trash is someone else's treasure.

Day by Day

I am taking life one day at a time this year.  Each day is a new beginning and new experience.  I am trying to spend time sewing or knitting, or doing some type of craftwork every day.  I know from past experience that it helps keep me in balance when I do.  I am eating healthy and trying to avoid junk food, though when I get stressed I do crave sugar.

We have been drinking Dr. Oz's Green Juice for a week now and I feel like it is helping me. I think I need to really drink it for a month before making any real claims, but I do feel that it of benefit to me. I am not as hungry and I do not crave sweets, which could be because I am not eating them or a result of the positive effect of the Green Juice.

I am monitoring my weight and exercising so that my heart is healthy, and the rest of me as well.  I working very hard to not let school stress overwhelm me, though there is one student who is driving me insane with his incessant talking.
This weekend was very relaxing. I started the weekend off with a massage. It was wonderful.  The masseuses said I had huge knots in my shoulders and though she worked for an hour on them she was not able to get rid of them all. This was a very stressful week and my shoulders are where I carry stress.

I have 87 more days to work before retiring, and I am trying very hard to keep them as unstressed as possible.  I am not bringing a lot home and trying to make the evenings my time, but the days are full.  I am also playing soothing music in my room all day, which I hope helps me as well as my students as music is suppose to help focus the mind for learning.

I am hoping that this week is less stressful and that time passes quickly at school, yet allows me time to get all the special ed paperwork done. There is so much paperwork in special ed, that be paid for doing two jobs, one clerical and one as a teacher.  The paperwork takes the most time, and then you add on the meetings. I hate meetings. I will miss the kids when I retire, but I will not miss the paperwork or the meetings.

It is time to get things rounded up for tomorrow and head towards bed.

Dr. Oz's Green Juice

This week Tom and I have started drinking Dr. Oz’s Green Juice. It is all natural and made with fresh ingredients. It is suppose to optimize your health and help you loose weight. We are trying it for a month to see.  I read of one woman loosing 54 lbs. and another loosing 127 lbs. I want to loose 50, so we shall see if it helps me do that.

Taste wise it is not bad. Tom was afraid it would taste like grass, but it does not taste or smell like grass. It has an interesting taste that is hard to describe, not bad, not sour or sweet, different and I like it.

Day one I made us each an 8 oz. glass. It was rather thick and more like a smoothie that you eat with a spoon.  I decided to modify the recipe slightly on day two.

Day two I added a little to much extra liquid (orange juice) and we ended up with three 16 oz. glasses, of which Tom drank one and I drank two. I also de-strung the celery so it was not so fibery.

Day three I de-strung part of the celery, and reduced the added liquid (orange juice) to get two 8 oz. glasses that were easy to drink as they were not super thick. I think I have adjusted the recipe to make it just right for the two of us, using about half of each ingredient.  A friend of Tom's, Alan, was here this morning and I gave him a small juice glass of Green Juice to try. He drank it and said it was not bad.  Not sure he would be game to drink it every morning for a month of not.

I am going to prepare the celery and other veggies today for tomorrow morning when we return to work so that it is quicker to mix the juice in the Vita Mix, instead of having to wash everything in the morning.

 I will let you know how the weight loss goes and if we feel healthier over the next month.
If you are interested in trying it yourself here is the link to Dr. Oz's site:

Dr. Oz's Green Drink | The Dr. Oz Show
www.doctoroz.com

"Make the breakfast drink that Dr. Oz swears by! This "green drink" is high in fiber, low-calorie and rich in vitamins. Ingredients: 2 cups spinach 2 cups cucumber 1 head of celery 1/2 inch or teaspoon ginger root 1 bunch parsley 2 apples Juice of 1 lime Juice of 1/2 lemon Directions: Combine all ingredients"

Leave me a comment and let me know if you try it and what you think.

2010

This year has been a rough one for me personally. My oldest son went to jail for a while, though all charges were dropped in the end it was not a good experience for him. He ended up in the hospital seriously ill because of poor medical care while in jail.
In March I lost my father to cancer, and though we had a long period when we were not in touch because of my stepmother, we had reconciled and it was and is a major loss. He was a good man, and I loved him very much. He served his country for over 20 years in the Air Force, and worked for the U.S. Postal Service. His funeral service included military honors and I proudly display his burial flag in my home in remembrance of his service. I know he is up there watching over me along with his mother, father, and two sisters who passed on before him.
I am very happy that I survived my own health scare and celebrate each day as a gift from God. I plan to live life to fullest and to be around for a long time and enjoy every day of it. I am feeling better every day and working hard to regain my strength and stamina. Some days I forget and over do, but I am working on that.
I have a wonderful loving husband who took excellent care of me through all of the bad and who I love very much. I also have two sons who I love and many wonderful friends who were there for me when I needed them.
I was truly blessed in 2010 and pray that am so blessed with family, friends, and good health in the New Year.
I wish you all a very happy and healthy new year. May you be blessed with good health and much happiness in the coming year.

Pets Belong in the Home NOT in Stores!

Boycott Barnes and Noble Bookstores. They let non-service dogs in the store and in the cafe.

I was in Barnes and Noble Bookstore today and a lady came in with a dog she was trying to hide under her coat. It was bigger than a purse a dog and set my allergies off so bad I had to leave the store.

She was in the cafe and wandering around the store. When I reported her I was told she could bring the dog in the store, but not the cafe. I turned around and she was in the cafe again and no one chased her out.

Dogs do not belong in bookstores, or any store other than a pet store, unless they are service animals. People please do not bring your animals shopping with you, as there are many of us who are severely allergic.

I will pay for the dog being in the store for at least two days, if not more. And yes I do take allergy meds, but they do not always work. It depends on the kind of dog and if I had known there was going to be a dog in the store I would not have gone in there.

I am so angry. I love to hang out at the bookstore and sit in the cafe or by the fireplace and read or write on winter days when I am off and just need a change of environment.

I came home and took a shower, threw my clothes, coat and all in the laundry and took more allergy medication. My nose is itching like crazy and my eyes as well.

People need to keep their pets at home. I understand that some people think of their pets as children, but they do not belong in stores. There are many people in the world who are allergic to animals, some of us to anything with fur, and we should have the right to shop in an allergen, health hazard, free environment. My entire day was ruined because one idiot thought her dog belonged in the store with her. It was not even one of those little purse dogs it was a medium size dog and was fighting to get out of her arms all three times I saw her. Her dog should have been left at home, or she should have stayed home with it if she is that attached to it.

The one thing I am very grateful for is that it was not a cat, as they are worse and a cat could have sent me to the emergency room.

I am writing to the head of Barnes and Noble books to file a complaint and to let them know that if they continue to allow dogs in their stores, other than service dogs, that I will no longer be shopping with them and I buy a lot of books and such from them. Borders Books will be getting my business in the future.

For the health of all those with allergens, boycott Barnes and Noble Books.

The Boy Who Dared

This book was on the list of books I read for the Teacher's Choice Awards last year. The author is Susan Campbell Bartoletti. It was one of many up for the award. I do not remember if it made the final cut or not, but in my opinion it should have been in first place. It was well written and easy to read, except that you needed tissues near by.

It is the story of a young man, Helmuth Guddat Hübener in Germany during Hitler's reign of terror. It is based on a true story. The boy is a German, and joins the Hitler Youth caught up in the glory of it all, at the start. On page 48 he says, "A savior is somebody who rescues someone or something from harm or danger,...That's what Hitler has done. He has rescued the Fatherland from poverty, unemployment, and inflation - just as he promised he would." He does not want to join because of his stepfather. His older brother is drafted into the army. He would not refuse to serve his country even though he was not a Nazi and did not believe in what he was going off to fight for. He left behind a short wave radio, which he told Helmuth not to use. It was locked in a closet. Helmuth did not listen, as is true of younger brothers and broke into the closet so he could get the radio.

Helmuth listened to the BBC and he begins to realize that people's rights are being denied, that the Jews are being threatened, and their livelihoods destroyed. Listening to the radio, he realizes that they are being lied to and that information is being censored. He realizes that the world is dangerous, at least in Germany. Ideas must agree with the party philosophy, because if they do not your life is in danger. "'Listening to foreign radio stations is forbidden,' continues the newscaster. 'Violations will be punished by imprisonment or death.'"(page 77)

It is in this world, this time that he comes to terms with many things. Friends can turn on you in a heartbeat, families will turn in family members to save them selves, and it is treasonous to speak out against Hitler. Helmuth takes a huge chance when he learns all this and decides to share what he knows with others. He enlists the help of two friends when he shares what he knows with them and begins a very dangerous mission to share what he learns on the BBC with others by writing up reports and passing them out in the night.
The book is written in novel form with flashbacks. It starts with Day 264 on Death Row in Plötzensee Prison, Berlin Germany, October 27, 1942. Helmuth was imprisoned for his crimes.

The first time he takes out the radio he knows it is a selfish act and that he is endangering his family, but he also knows that arresting people for their beliefs is wrong and on page 103 he says "Taking away our freedoms is a crime." It is his first step toward his execution. Listening to the radio he is shocked that the British are honest in announcing their losses. He writes a paper for school called “The War of the Plutocrats.” His teacher says it “suits the ideals of National Socialism…A plutocracy is a selfish government controlled by the wealthy, But National Socialism is a selfless government. A good Nazi works for the good of the Fatherland, not for self-interest and self-gain. A good Nazi is a good soldier for the Fatherland, one who can lead as well as follow.” (page 105) After class his teacher warns him that his idealism is dangerous and that he must be careful. Helmuth wants to tell him the truth, but is afraid instead he says, “I will go far. Just you wait and see. Someday you will hear something great about me." (page 107)

This is the story of a young man who not afraid to speak out, not afraid to speak the truth. I think it is an excellent book for use in the classroom and want to have my history students read it in the spring.

To find out the details of the story you need to read the book. It contains photos of the wall surrounding the prison, Helmuth, his family and friends. It also contains prints of a poster announcing his execution with the English translation, as well as Helmuth’s execution chamber. The horrors of Hitler extended beyond his horrendous treatment of the Jews. He executed children; Helmuth was 16 years old when he was executed. He was executed as an enemy of the state because he “fought for human rights, political freedom, and truth.” (page 167) Even worse was that his mother found out about his execution when she read about it in the newspaper, the following day and to add to that she was sent a bill for his execution, which included the cost of postage to mail it to her. Hitler's atrocities continue to be shown as we dig deeper and deeper into history.

How could such an evil man become a leader of so many? I pray history does not repeat itself.